A statewide partnership is calling on Gov. Cuomo to lift mask mandates in schools.

The group, New York Statewide Non-Partisan Parents for Science in Schools, is made up of parents, teachers, caregivers and school district stakeholders from New York City to Western New York, who said it is time to let students pre-k through 12th grade attend school without a mask.

"They are unable to read facial cues," said Dana Hensley, a mother of four in Buffalo’s East Amherst area and member of the group. "They are unable to see the shape that their teacher’s mouth makes when they are explaining phonics and how to pronounce letters and words."

What You Need To Know

  • Parents of school-age children have formed a group to advocate for the removal of mask mandates in schools

  • Members live all across New York state

  • They say there is no science backing the need for masks on children

  • The CDC recommends children in schools wear masks as of their most recent update in May

On May 19, the state of New York removed mask mandates for fully vaccinated adults, which applies to about 49% of the state’s population. 

With schools now offering some form of in-person instruction, NYS Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker announced students could remove their masks on Monday, June 7, but on Sunday, June 6, the announcement was reversed by the NYS Department of Education.

"I have two young children, a first-grader and a fifth-grader, and they do find it difficult to spend five to six hours a day in school masked," said group member and parent Natalya Murakhver of New York City.

The group said masks should be a choice for students.